Who should consider these factors?

People with coeliac disease and diabetes

You need a clearly labelled gluten-free biscuit and also want to know how many carbohydrates you’ll get in your portion. Check both the gluten-free label and the nutritional information on the packaging.

People who count carbohydrates

You want to include a snack in your carbohydrate tracking. The amount in the number of biscuits you eat matters more than a general claim on the front of the pack.

People looking to cut down on sugar

You compare products with less or no sugar, but also want to take total carbohydrates, serving size and any polyols into account.

What should you look for when choosing?

If you need to avoid gluten because of coeliac disease, start by checking the gluten-free label. Then use the nutritional information to compare biscuits and work out the carbohydrate content of your own portion.

What to consider What to check when buying Who it matters to
Gluten-free label Check for the words ‘gluten-free’ or the Crossed Grain symbol on the current packaging. Check other allergens separately. If I have coeliac disease, I first need to be sure that the biscuit is a gluten-free choice; only then can I weigh up its nutritional values. For around 45% of consumers, confirmed gluten-free suitability comes first.
Carbohydrates per serving Compare carbohydrates per 100 g and calculate the amount for the number of biscuits you eat; check ‘of which sugars’ too. People who count carbohydrates want to know what a snack adds to their intake, rather than seeing a value per 100 g alone. Around 36% of consumers give the carbohydrate content of the portion they eat the highest priority.
Less sugar and polyols As well as ‘of which sugars’, check total carbohydrates. If the product contains polyols, consider the serving size and any warnings. I’m looking for less sugar, but don’t want to overlook other carbohydrates or a warning about polyols. For roughly 19% of consumers, balancing sugar choices with tolerance is the first consideration.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming gluten-free means low-carb

    The gluten-free label tells you nothing about the amount of carbohydrates. Albert Heijn lists AH Glutenvrij Koekjes amandel as containing 64 g of carbohydrates and 29 g of sugars per 100 g.

    If you have coeliac disease, check the gluten-free label first, then compare the carbohydrate and sugar content for the portion you plan to eat.

  • Looking only for ‘no sugars’

    A product with no sugars can still contain carbohydrates and polyols. Damhert lists Zonder Suikers Madeleines as containing 13.0 g of carbohydrates and 8.8 g of polyols per 30 g serving, with a warning that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.

    Check total carbohydrates and serving size alongside the sugar information, and read any warnings on the packaging.

  • Confusing the per-100 g figure with the amount in a snack

    A value per 100 g isn’t automatically the amount you eat. Jumbo lists Schär Choco Chip Cookies as containing 6.8 g of carbohydrates per 11 g biscuit; eating more biscuits changes the total.

    Use the per-100 g figure to compare products, then calculate the carbohydrates for the number of biscuits you’ll actually eat.

  • Relying only on an online ingredients list

    Ingredients and allergen information can change, so a product page you looked at previously may not match the packaging in your hands.

    Check the current packaging before eating, especially if you need to avoid gluten or other allergens.

Brands to consider

AH Glutenvrij

Albert Heijn’s own-brand gluten-free range includes almond biscuits labelled gluten-free.

  • Albert Heijn says these almond biscuits are made in a completely gluten-free environment and gives a serving size of 11 g.
  • For this specific product, Albert Heijn lists 64 g of carbohydrates and 29 g of sugars per 100 g; compare these values with your own portion.

Jumbo Lekker Vrij van Gluten

Jumbo’s own-brand range includes a filled biscuit labelled gluten-free.

  • The clear gluten-free label can help with your initial selection if you need to avoid gluten.
  • According to Jumbo, the filled biscuit contains 54.1 g of carbohydrates and 27.6 g of sugars per 100 g. Its listed allergens include almonds, egg, lupin, milk and soya.

Schär

With Schär Choco Chip Cookies, you can use the stated value per biscuit to calculate your portion.

  • Jumbo lists this product as containing 6.8 g of carbohydrates and 2.3 g of sugars per 11 g biscuit.
  • The number of biscuits you eat determines the total; soya is listed as an allergen in this product.

Damhert

Damhert describes its Zonder Suikers Madeleines as gluten-free and sugar-free. Check the nutritional information for the specific product before choosing it.

  • Damhert lists carbohydrates and polyols per 30 g serving, so you can take both values into account when comparing products.
  • According to Damhert, that serving contains 13.0 g of carbohydrates and 8.8 g of polyols. The packaging warns that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.

Gluten-free biscuits at Joybuy

This biscuit is labelled gluten-free. Use the nutritional information on the packaging to assess the carbohydrate content of your own portion too.

Verkade Gv Oaties milk chocolate, 150 g

Verkade Gv Oaties milk chocolate, 150 g

A biscuit to consider if you start by looking for a gluten-free label, then compare the nutritional values.

The nutritional information lists carbohydrates, sugars and fibre per 100 g. Work out the carbohydrate content of your own portion based on the weight you eat.

The product contains gluten-free oats; according to the product description, some people with coeliac disease may be sensitive to oat protein (avenin). If you’re unsure, speak to your healthcare professional and check the current packaging and allergen information.

View at Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

Is a gluten-free biscuit automatically suitable if I have diabetes?

No. The gluten-free label is about gluten, not carbohydrates or sugars. Compare the nutritional information for the portion you eat; diabetes.nl says there is no single amount of carbohydrate that is best for everyone with diabetes.

What should I look for on a pre-packaged biscuit if I have coeliac disease?

Look for the words ‘gluten-free’ or the Crossed Grain symbol on the current packaging. Under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, ‘gluten-free’ may only be used in the EU for food sold to the final consumer if it contains no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten. Check other allergens separately.

Should I compare carbohydrates per 100 g or per biscuit?

Use the per-100 g value to compare products, then use the value for the portion you eat to work out your own intake. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre explains that nutrition tables show values per 100 g. If a serving value is also given, check that it matches the number of biscuits you eat.

Does ‘no sugars’ mean no carbohydrates?

No. Check total carbohydrates and serving size too. For example, Damhert lists its Zonder Suikers Madeleines as containing 13.0 g of carbohydrates and 8.8 g of polyols per 30 g serving, with a warning that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect.